President says Cyprus unfairly targeted over passport scheme

President Nicos Anastasiades said on Wednesday that Cyprus has been unfairly targeted by the EU as regards its investment for citizenship scheme.

Speaking to reporters the day the European Commission issued a report warning golden passport and golden visa schemes posed a crime risk, he said that Cyprus has granted only 0.3% of the citizenships granted in the EU.

“These double standards should stop,” he said adding that Cyprus has strict criteria in place.

Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos, who with Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, Věra Jourová, presented the report said that the Commission was not accusing anyone.

“We listened with great attention to what was said by the President of the Republic of Cyprus,” he said in response to a question from the Cyprus News Agency.

“We have no intention of accusing, but we are sending a strong message to the member states which have such vehicles,” he said.